Distribución altitudinal, papel en los ecosistemas y amenazas de las poblaciones del Género Espeletia (Asteraceae) en Colombia

Abstract

In the present work an analysis of the distribution in the altitudinal gradient of the genus Espeletia for Colombia and the bibliographical revision of the morphology and anatomy, the ecological role in the páramos ecosystems and the threats that are affecting its population were realized. For this, the reported records of this genus were downloaded from the SIB platform corresponding to the herbariums of the natural sciences institute of the National University of Colombia (ICN), the biological resources research institute Alexander Von Humboldt, Medellín Botanic Garden and The Colombian Network of natural resources of civil society (RESNATUR). The data obtained were analyzed with the PAST statistic. Records were found from the 1950s to 4500 masl, but most were in an altitudinal range of 3100 to 3600 m.s.n.m. It was evidenced that the genus Espeletia presents a differentiated altitudinal distribution and the majority of registers are in the bands altoandina-subpáramo, subpáramo and páramo proper. This altitudinal differentiation can be due to the abiotic characteristics that appear in each strip of the páramo. The studies at the anatomical and morphological level of the Espeletia genus in the páramos of Colombia are very scarce; some researches on this subject by Mora-Osejo, shows the main morphoanatomic characteristics of the páramo plants, relating them to the environmental conditions to which The plants of the moor are subdued. However, on the role in ecosystems, there is a wide variety of work done in Colombia on the ecological relations between fauna and microflora with the genus Espeletia, it has been found that these plants harbor a great variety and diversity of fauna mainly of arthropods . As for the threats, there are several investigations in Colombia, in Merida Venezuela and Ecuador that ratify, the negative impact of different human activities on these fragile populations.